Listen and Gain

DEVOTION

PROVERBS

LISTEN AND GAIN

Prov 15:32

32 He who ignores discipline despises himself, but whoever heeds correction gains understanding.

NIV

It is doubtful that any us adults are subjects of parental discipline which is the most common thought of when we here that word, but yet here we are seeing that even us adults should not ignore discipline. Of course we must think the disciple or warning and instruction would be from the Lord. Yet that may not be the case either as friends, fellow believers might well warn or instruct about how we are living. Although there is another view of discipline as being a controlled way of living, such as living a disciplined life, we have to know this is a form of warning or instruction as it is connected with heeding correction and gaining understanding. So we should be open to hearing both from the Lord and from fellow believers if we are in need of some discipline about what we are doing and not only should we be open to hearing it, but we should heed that correction, make the changes needed and ultimately by doing so we gain understanding. This is easier said than done. It might be a whole lot easier to put up our defense mechanism giving an excuse for our bad behavior, trying to justify it and make it seem alright, which is not only ignoring, but refusing the needed disciple. The problem with trying to excuse our bad behavior is that we might begin to believe our own excuses and accept our self, believing we are without error or sin. Then we could certainly say we are not gaining any understanding at all, in fact we could say we would be losing understanding. We do need to listen and gain.